When Dyanne Davis asked me to be her blogging accountability partner, I had trepidation. I wanted to say no but how could I do that? Writing, writing anything is battle between your fearful self and your courageous self. So, I asked myself, are you about to say no because of fear? The answer was yes, I was afraid. Fear of judgment, ridicule, embarrassing myself. FEAR that horrible four-letter word that makes me want to shut off the lights and hide under the covers in the fetal position sucking my thumb cuddling my blankie. (I never had a blankie like this, but I might consider getting one.)

I felt like needed to try to control the blogging situation, so I wrote down a long list of inspirations to help keep my blogging ideas flowing on a day when my brain had run dry.

Here are a few of those ideas on a much longer list. I won’t bore you with the entire list:

*Writing quotes/Inspiration

*My friends’ achievements

*Photos I’ve taken

*My writing journey

*Places I want to visit

I’m glad to revisit this list because it’s giving me some great ideas for future blogs! When I blog again in a few weeks, I will have returned from Nationals and will have the experience to share. See you soon! Think about your inspirations and how you push your fear aside.

Here is a fun picture I took last week. Can you find the frog (really, it’s a toad)?

Posted: July 7th, 2015 | Author:Cici Edward | Filed under:Uncategorized | Comments Off on Getting Started is the Hardest Part!

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”– Mark Twain

I’m in the middle of writing a short story, two actually but I had to take a break before finishing either one. Now, I need to finish them both but I’m finding it difficult to get back on the wagon. The wheels are rusty and I feel like I am out of writing shape. It must be like riding a bike, right? Open the MS and get going! It’s that easy, right? So I went hunting for inspiration. My friend, Savannah Reynard posted this timely quote from Jodi Thomas on facebook today: “If I had to face the mountain of work needed to write a book, I would probably never start, much less finish. So, how have I managed to write 40 novels?

“I don’t think of the whole book. I set daily or weekly goals. Five pages a day. A chapter a week. Cleaning up 50 pages in a weekend. When I start doing my ‘I can’t do this! I can’t do this!’ dance, my husband always says, ‘How do you eat an elephant?’ And, I calm down and say, ‘One bite at a time.’ Then I go back to work not trying to write a book that day, but just taking one bite—one chapter—one page at a time.” — Jodi Thomas

Dyanne Davis and I are writing our blogs twice a month. Go over to her blog and see what she is writing after you look at all my pictures below!

Recently, I received a reminder that my trip to RWA Nationals was right around the corner, only one month away! Wow, I have so much to do and so much to plan. The reminder had me thinking about the past writing conferences I’ve been to. I’ve been going to writer’s conferences since 2009 and I’ve been hooked since. Here are pictures that hold some of my favorite memories from the conferences. This year is an exciting for a conference. Both Clara Kensie and Sonali Dev are up for the RITA award for their amazing books! I can’t wait to cheer them on. Stay tuned for a post about the upcoming conference with pictures too!

RWA 2009, Washington, DC

As a very new writer, I didn’t know anyone at this conference. I had just joined my local RWA chapters, Chicago North and Windy City RWA and had a few acquaintances, Tracey Devlin and Adrienne Giordano in the first picture. I will always hold a special place in my heart for Tracey because she pushed me to meet one of my writing idols, Jayne Ann Krentz (3rd picture). And of course that is the amazing Nora Roberts in the 2nd picture. In the last picture are two ladies I met who were also first timers at Nationals that year, Jan Romes and Nancy Lee Badger.

Spring Fling, Chicago North RWA 2010

Every two years the Chicago North RWA chapter holds a writer’s conference in the Chicago-land area. I had a great time with my long-time friend Savannah Reynard and new friends CJ Warrant, Denise Dileo and Katrina Bauer who will later become part of my close writing group, The Aphrodite Writers.

RWA 2010, Orlando, Florida

What an exciting year. Simone Elkeles won the RITA for Young Adult Romance for her amazing book, Perfect Chemistry. She let me touch her RITA award. I keep this picture posted on my computer as reminder of the successes that can happen after writing a great book.

In Orlando, the idea of the Aphrodite Writers was created. In the middle picture, a bunch of us went to dinner and decided to create a writing support group which we would call the Aphrodite Writers and now we meet twice a year in person and cheer each other on-line.

The last picture shows an unbelievable moment when the legend, Virginia Henley sat at my breakfast table!

Evanston’s Writer’s Conferences 2011

RWA 2011, New York, New York

Savannah and I on our way to the Statue of Liberty in picture one.

We went to a restaurant in New York in the middle picture. Three people in the picture are up for the RITA best first book this year in 2015! How exciting to have known these ladies almost from the beginning.

Ruth Kaufman from the Chicago North RWA chapter won the Golden Heart in the Inspirational Category for her book, At His Command.

Spring Fling Chicago North RWA 2012

Not too many pictures this year because I was part of the planning committee to create this conference. That was an amazing experience where I made life-lasting friendships!

RWA 2012, Annaheim, California

I roomed with Vanessa M. Knight (First picture, middle person) this year! We barely knew each other then. It was great having this awesome woman as a roomie. She made my conference so much fun that year!

The middle picture is a Windy Group photo at the RITA awards ceremony.

RWA 2013 Atlanta, Georgia

Wow! This was an amazing conference for the simple fact that two of my friends, India Powers and Sonali Dev were up for the Golden Heart award: India Powers in the Paranormal Category for Demon’s Bane, Sonali Dev in the Contemporary Category for The Bollywood Affair.

Picture one is one of my favorites because almost all of the Aphrodite Writers were at the conference to celebrate.

I saw this quote on twitter the other day and it’s been bouncing around in my brain ever since. Many people are credited with some version of this saying: Maya Angelou, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Thomas Hood, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Charles Allston Collins, Anthony Trollope, Lord Byron, William Makepeace Thackeray, Anonymous. Who said it first? Who knows? But I’m glad I found it because this phrase has re-lit my fire to continue editing my manuscript.

Writing and editing a book is one of the easiest and hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. It’s easy because it has become my passion. There was a time in my life when I thought I was missing passion. Once I started writing, I realized my love for books and stories was always there only I had forgotten! Writing is the one thing I want to do all the time. Call it passion or an obsession– I love it!

Writing is the most difficult thing I’ve ever done because of the emotional investment involved. It’s terrifying to put yourself into your work and share those vulnerable parts. Worse than putting that stuff in is leaving it out. That’s scarier than any haunted house because without those deepest feelings you can’t create the story you want to give readers.

Writing a book is like holding up a mirror to look at the deepest most secret places inside and then serving those images on a platter for the entire world to pick from and devour. But isn’t that the goal? To create books that readers devour?

Here is a picture of some of my favorite books by writers that I love to read over and over.

Don’t forget to check out Dyanne Davis’ blog about aging and living life to the fullest. She also has a contest going on over there too! She’s giving away a copy of her newest book Secrets of the Orient.

Last week I had the chance to meet my favorite Young Adult author, Sarah Dessen on her book tour for Saint Anything. Sarah writes Contemporary Young Adult Fiction. I have to be honest and say that this was the first time I actually went to a book signing to meet a favorite author. I bought my book and reserved my place in the signing line (#10).

It was all very exciting. I had been following Sarah’s tweets online and I felt like I was actually on tour with her as she traveled day after day to a new location. When she reached the Chicagoland area, I was pretty excited to finally get to meet her and take a picture. She gave a small talk and a question answer session before she signed her books. It was fun to get to meet one of my author idols!

Be sure to stop over at Dyanne Davis’ blog to see what she’s posted this week! Have a great week and I hope you get a chance to meet someone you admire!

Have you ever had one of those experiences that, all of a sudden, in an instant completely fills your emotional well? I had one of those today. A sweet surprising moment that hits you like a rushing wave but when you try to grasp it, it fades like the fleeting scent of Chokecherry on a warm spring day. Even as it disappears, the strength and power remains inside you, making you feel like you can take on anything! Chokecherry blossoms are my favorite scent in the spring season. If you have the chance, take a moment to fill your soul with the sweet fragrance.

Don’t forget to check out Dyanne Davis’ blog. A little birdie told me she included an excerpt of her newest book.

It has been two weeks since my last blog. What have I been doing since?

This…

…planting seeds!

We planted various types of herbs and lettuces, over fifty boxes. There is nothing better than eating a salad from the greens grown in your own garden. This is one of our favorite things to do in the spring, plant seeds and watch them grow into healthy, beautiful food. In a little over a week, our work has already bloomed from dry seed to green leaves.

It won’t be much longer now until our salads are brimming with delicious home-grown greens. Enjoy the coming spring!

***

My friend, Clara Kensie, YA author has exciting news! Her Run To You serial books are being compiled back into 2 full-length novels. Book 1: Deception So Deadly and Book 2: Deception So Dark are both out May 1, 2015! Check them out, you won’t be disappointed!

Dyanne Davis has always been a mentor to me. Not only is she a great writer, but she is a wonderful friend. With Dyanne’s support, she convinced me to start blogging regularly. We made a pact with each other to blog twice a month. Check out Dyanne’s blog. http://dyannedavis.blogspot.com/

Every new experience is terrifying and this is no different. My closest friend and writer, Savannah Reynard , at the Windy City RWA 2015 retreat said, “life begins at the edge of your comfort zone.” I’ve always jumped into my writing experiences with both feet, and blogging will be no different. Thanks for the push, Dyanne. Here goes!

After writing for about three years, I finally decided it was time to think seriously about turning my dream into a business. Over the years, I’ve kept goal lists and reviewed the results at the end of each year. Most of what I accomplished came from the sheer joy of writing, but did many things without a clear focus. This year I’m taking the steps to be deliberate in my writing strategies. I will create personal deadlines and stick to them. I will document my progress in spreadsheets and trackers. I will work with other writers to keep myself accountable.

In the last week, I’ve read three books about creating a business plan. That’s what I do. I overload on lots of information and hope some of it sticks. The following is a list of the books I read:

· BIRTHING THE ELEPHANT: The woman’s go-for-it guide to launching a business, by Karin Abarbanel and Bruce Freeman.

· THE RIGHT-BRAINED BUSINESS PLAN, by Jennifer Lee.

· ANATOMY OF A BUSINESS PLAN, by Lindon Pinson

I learned many things from reading these books and each had a differing perspective on creating a business plan. In the last two books, I was able to create charts, data tables and spread sheets to help track every aspect of the process. I can track my word counts, my spending and my marketing plans.

Writers are ultimately creative thinkers and the thought of keeping charts and spreadsheets is enough to cause palpitations. The Right-Brained Business Plan is a great tool to help the imaginative writer connect the artsy side of the brain to the logical side of the brain so the business portion of writing is less stressful. Birthing the Elephant teaches the future business owner to think like an entrepreneur.

Many writers focus all of their energy on the honing craft, but there is another side, the business side. This year I want to spend time on the business side of writing while also improving my craft. I want to sell the best book I can write. Reading these books helped me to identify a clear focus to get me on the road to creating my own writing business.

Writing is lonely work full of fear and self-doubt. Accepting self-doubt as part of the process is an almost impossible task. Anyone who has ever done anything risky or artistic has dealt with self-doubt.

Determination, planning and support are the things that pull writers through the hard times. I need the connection with fellow writers. Attending my writers groups recharges my batteries so I can write more at a higher caliber. I have a constant and abusive battle with my inner critic but I am trying to learn how to accept it as internal concern. Maybe I need to stop grappling with the fear, and instead, use it as a way to propel forward in my writing.